Eye-bathing devices

ABSTRACT

An eye-bathing device comprises an eye-cup (14) adapted to receive the eye being bathed, and a pump (11) for delivering an eye bathing solution to the eye-cup through a spray nozzle (13), the eye-cup (14) having an inlet opening (35) aligned with the spray nozzle. The pump (11) is hand-operated, and is located within a housing (10) supporting the eye-cup (14).

This invention relates to an eye-bathing device for applying solutionsto the eyes.

A simple eye bath consists of a moulded plastic cup which is filled withsolution and held tight to the eye. In use, the head is first tiltedback to immerse the eye in the solution and is then moved from side toside to wash the eye. Disabled persons having restricted head movementtherefore find eye baths particularly difficult to use.

A further serious disadvantage of the simple eye bath is that thewashing solution itself can become contaminated with the irritantremoved from the eye.

A more complex eyewash system for industrial use is disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 4,641,384. In this case the entire face of the user ispostioned within a hood, and a pivotable spray nozzle is adjusted todirect a spray of liquid into the eye or eyes in response to actuationof a battery-operated pump. With such a system, the user has no controlover the force of the spray and it is difficult to ensure that the spraytravels in the required direction. The system is also bulky andgenerally unsuited for domestic use.

There is therefore a need for an improved device which overcomes thedrawbacks of the simple eye-bath while remaining relatively inexpensiveand easy to use.

According to the present invention there is provided an eye-bathingdevice comprising an eye-cup adapted to receive the eye being bathed,and a pump for delivering an eye-bathing solution to the eye-cup througha spray device, the eye-cup having an inlet opening aligned with thespray device. In a preferred embodiment, the pump is hand-operated andis located within a housing supporting the eye-cup. A particularadvantage of this arrangement is that the user is able to control theforce of the spray by varying the pressure applied to the pump.Moreover, by directing the spray into an eye-cup, it is no longernecessary to adjust the position of the spray nozzle to ensure that thespray reaches the eye.

The eye-cup is preferably supported by the housing in a tilted backorientation and includes a first outlet through which waste solutiondrains to a sump and a second outlet providing an air vent. The devicepreferably includes a base releasably engageable with the housing toform a free-standing structure.

A reservoir of the eye-bathing solution is preferably stored in a refillcontainer which is detachable from the pump and also lies within thehousing.

By way of example only, an embodiment of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an eye-bathing device,

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the device shown in FIG. 1 whenremoved from its base and showing some of the internal components,

FIG. 3 is a front view of the device,

FIG. 4 is a section on line B--B of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a section on line C--C of FIG. 2.

Referring to these drawings, the device consists of an L-shaped housing10 containing an hand-operated pump 11 which delivers an eye-bathingsolution from a reservoir 28 to a spray nozzle 13. The housing 10 isreleasably engageable with a base 54 to form a free-standing structure,and is moulded with a detachable cover 40. The cover 40 is detached bypulling back a flap 60 to release a catch 62.

An eye-cup 14 is releasably engaged in an opening 41 at the front of thehousing 10, the nozzle 13 being aligned with an opening 35 in the baseof the cup 14. The cup 14 is formed of a softer material than thehousing 10, and has a flexible sealing rim 15 which fits around the eye.

The eye-cup 14 is engaged in the opening 41 by means of an outwardlyprojecting flange 42 having a peripheral lip 43 formed with an inwardlydirected groove 44 adapted to receive an outwardly projecting tongue 45bounding the opening 41. The resilience of the material forming theeye-cup is such that the peripheral lip 43 can be deformed outwards torelease the engagement between the eye-cup and the housing.

When not in use, the eye-cup 14 is protected by a removable dust cap 61.

The body of the pump 11 is supported and retained within a centralhollow area of a forwardly projecting base portion 10b of the housing10, the hollow area being bounded by internal walls 16 level with theside split between the cover 40 and the base 10b of the housing. Arefill container 12 containing the reservoir 28 of eye-bath solution isreleasably secured to the body of the pump and lies wholly within thehousing 10. In this particular example, the container 12 has aninternally screw threaded mouth 50 which engages a screw threaded ring18 secured to the body 11 of the pump. A pick-up tube 19 extends fromthe inlet of the pump into the reservoir 28 and, during the suctionstroke of the pump, air is drawn into the container 12 through the screwthreaded coupling at the junction between the container and the pumpbody.

The downwardly inclined portion 10a of the L-shaped housing 10 forms asump for receiving waste solution which drains internally through thehousing 10 from a drain hole 21a (FIG. 3) located in the base of theeye-cup 14 adjacent and beneath the nozzle opening 35. A similar opening21b located above the nozzle opening 35 provides an air vent, thesymmetrical location of the two openings 21a, 21b ensuring that theeye-cup will function equally well when inverted. With the housing 10located in its base 54, the eye-cup 14 is tilted backwards such thatwaste solution which collects in the cup automatically empties throughthe drain hole 21. The waste runs in channels 63 around the outside ofthe internal walls 16 supporting the pump 11 and its actuating lever 22so that there is no risk of the solution comming into contact with theuser.

The hand-operated pump 11 includes an actuating lever 22 which projectsthrough a slot in the housing 10 within the area bounded by the internalwalls 16. The pump operates in a well-known manner and is not thereforedescribed or illustrated in detail. Briefly, depression of the lever 22urges a piston along a cylinder against the bias of a spring, thecylinder having inlet and outlet ports with respective inlet anddelivery valves communicating with the reservoir 28 and the spray nozzle10 respectively. During the pressure stroke, solution 28 is pumped fromthe cylinder along a discharge tube to the spray nozzle 13, and freshsolution is then drawn into the cylinder from the reservoir 28 duringthe return or release stroke.

The nozzle 13 discharges the solution into the eye-cup 14 as a fine mistor spray. Advantageously, the force of the spray can be regulated byvarying the pressure applied to the lever 22. Moreover, internaldrainage of the waste solution to the sump 10a has a twofold advantage.Firstly it prevents the waste solution from coming into contact with theuser, and secondly it prevents fresh washing solution from becomingcontaminated with the irritant removed from the eye. Integral internalshoulders or ribs 55 in the forwardly projecting portion 10b of thehousing 10 ensure that waste solution is directed clear of the slot forthe actuating lever 22.

The eye-cup 14 is easily cleaned by removing it from the housing 10.

With the housing 10 being a simple push-fit in the base 54 the device iseasy to assemble and comfortable to use. With the base 60 resting on asupport surface at a comfortable height, the user merely inclines hishead toward the eye-cup 14, as if he were looking into a microscope.

When not in use, the rearwardly inclined portion 10a of the housing 10can be removed from the base 54, turned through 180°, and re-engagedwith the base so that the portion 10b of the housing projects downwardsinstead of upwards. This is useful for packing and storing the device.

Each actuation of the lever 22 delivers a fresh sterile solution to theeye-cup so that the device is particularly hygienic and could be used,for example, in eye hospitals or casualty wards. The user has merely toblink his eyes in the fine spray or mist to provide a thorough cleansingaction, the waste solution being continuously drained to the sump 10a.The sump is easily emptied whenever necessary by removing the cover 40and inverting the housing 10.

In one alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the pump 11 deliverssolution to a pair of spray nozzles each having an associated eye-cup,the components being otherwise substantially identical to those shown inthe illustrated embodiment.

I claim:
 1. An eye-bathing device comprising an eye cup supported by ahousing and adapted to receive the eye being bathed, a hand-operatedpump mounted within a first portion of said housing, said pump having apivotally-mounted actuating lever projecting through an aperture in saidfirst portion of said housing for delivering an eye-bathing solutionfrom a separate reservoir connected to said pump in said housing to theeye cup through a spray device, and a sump formed in a second portion ofsaid housing, said first portion of the housing having an internalpassage for draining waste solution from a first outlet of the eye cupto said sump.
 2. A device according to claim 1 in which a removableconer is detachable from the housing to permit emptying of the sump. 3.A device according to claim 1 or 2 in which said sump is formed by anexternal wall of the housing.
 4. A device according to claim 1 in whichsaid internal passage is formed by an external wall of said firstportion of said housing and an internal wall on which the actuatinglever is mounted.
 5. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in whichthe eye cup is detachable from said first portion of said housing.
 6. Adevice according to claim 1 or 2 in which the eye cup includes a secondoutlet providing an air vent.
 7. A device according to claim 6 in whichthe first and second outlets are located such that, with the eye cuprotated through 180°, the two outlets interchange their positions.
 8. Adevice according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the housing ishand-held, and further comprising a base releasably engageable with thesecond portion of the housing to form a free-standing structure.
 9. Adevice according to claim 8 in which the second portion of the housingextends rearwardly and upwardly from the base and the first portion ofthe housing projects forwardly and upwardly from the top of the secondportion, the eye cup forming a closure at the forwardmost end of thefirst portion.
 10. A device according to claim 9 in which the housing isengageable with the base in an alternative non-operative orientationwherein said first portion of the housing is turned through 180° andprojects downwardly and rearwardly toward the base.
 11. A deviceaccording to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising a refill containerfor storing a reservoir of the solution, the container being detachablefrom the pump and lying within said second portion of said housing. 12.An eye bathing device comprising:a first housing portion open at firstand second ends, including a pump connected to a reservoir, said pumphaving an actuator trigger extending through said first housing portionand including a spray nozzle for directing pumped eye wash through saidfirst end; an eye cup having a rear surface supported in said first endof said first housing portion, said rear surface having an openingaligned with said spray nozzle, and a drain hole and vent hole incommunication with said first housing portion; and, a second housingportion having a first open end connected to said first housing portionopen second end, forming a sump for collecting eye wash flowing throughsaid drain hole into said first housing portion.
 13. The eye bathingdevice of claim 12 wherein said eye cup is detachably connected to saidfirst housing portion.
 14. The eye bathing device of claim 12 whereinsaid reservoir extends through said first housing portion second endinto said second housing portion, making said reservoir accessible whena removable cover is detached from said first housing portion and saidsecond housing portion.